I had no idea I wanted (needed!) a bottle of Fleur de Fleurs, a Nina Ricci perfume from 1980 (via Nigel Groom, second edition) until I actually had one. How did I miss this beauty? Fleur de Fleurs is a classic floral that would have fitted in decades earlier: an aldehydic blast that opens the doors and windows to a rolling hills of spring flowers: hyacinth, lilac, iris, and muguet, before it settles into the sexy lady who wears civet and wants you to know that. Not exactly the shoulder pads and excess of the 80s, which is perhaps why it's one of those forgotten gems.
Is Fleur de Fleurs original? No, not even within the classic Nina Ricci collection (that's where Germaine Cellier's creations, Fille d'Eve and Coeur Joie come in). But it's incredibly beautiful. I'm a sucker for hyacinth, and when it's accompanied by iris I'm a goner. Here the floral heart is even fuller with a cascading bouquet of white flowers (think of Princess Diana's wedding flowers) that seem to flow and trail. I smell a fantasy of a cottage garden hidden behind a small house in the middle of a bustling city.
I'm extremely lucky to have a giant bottle of Fleur de Fleur in extrait. It's so big that I can practically soak myself in it and savor every nuance. It keeps coming back to the relationship between the cool and crisp hyacinth and the creamy yellow of jasmine and ylang-ylang. Together they fill the air and give the impression of a flower field that stretches endlessly, as far as the eye and nose can see them. The abundance is nostalgic and romantic, making me think of all the places I have yet to visit and the summer days awaiting in the future. And they're all here, captured within the beautiful bottle.
Some days this is all I could ever ask for.
Art: George Hitchcock, Dutch Girl, 1904.
I love this one! I got mine at an antiques mall in a splash (edp I think?). Figured if the perfume had spoiled or was terrible I could use the cute bottle for something else, but it turned out to be a real hidden gem. That civet is swoon-worthy. I'd love to get my hands on the extrait.
ReplyDeleteThe bottle is beautiful. All the Nina Ricci Lalique bottles are amazing. I recently got the original Farouche one and it's a work of art.
DeleteI have extremely few scents (under 10) that I reserve for wearing just in spring and summer, but this is one of them. It really is gorgeous and you've got me wondering why I don't wear it in fall or winter.
ReplyDeleteAnna
I think that there's something about FdF, from the bottle to the actual fragrance, that just says SPRING :) .
DeleteHey Gaia,
ReplyDeleteI have a bottle of the EdT and am most jealous of your extrait.
I find the lasting power a bit short in mine but I think also that the propellant has given an even more metallic tinge to the top notes.
Portia xx
Portia, sometimes the weakening longevity is a result of the juice aging. I have a couple of antique Lanvins that fade within the hour, while others give me a six hour wearing.
DeleteI got one sealed bottle at goodwill for $4. Just Googled it and looks like it wasn't a bad deal 😀
ReplyDelete